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One of the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, established the division of the church and the government as one of the building blocks of our country. This wall of separation between faith and the state, protected by the First Amendment in the United States Constitution, prohibits government from passing preferential or prejudicial laws affecting any religion.
Islam included.
In 2008, Lisa Valentine, 40, was held in contempt of court in Douglasville, Ga., and arrested after refusing to remove her hijab, a Muslim religious headdress, at a security checkpoint. A hijab is a veil of privacy worn by women as required by some predominately Muslim nations.
Whereas France and Turkey also demand the removal of the hijab in certain public locations, such as schools, the outcry in America is amplified primarily due to our insistent defense of a country free of religious persecution.
Valentine violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing any headgear in court, police spokesman Chris Womack said, adding that asking her to remove her headdress, however, was equivalent to asking her to disrobe:
"I had no idea I was in for such a humiliating experience," Valentine said. "This is who I am. Without it, it's like taking off my shirt. It's like being stripped of something that's part of me."
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations urged federal authorities to investigate the incident as well as others in Georgia.
"I just felt stripped of my civil, my human rights," Valentine told the Associated Press following the incident.
There have been similar cases in other states, including Michigan, where a Muslim woman in Detroit filed a federal lawsuit in 2007 after a judge dismissed her small-claims court case when she refused to remove her head and face veil.
"I hope that no person of faith will ever have to experience the type of egregious treatment I suffered at any Georgia courthouse because of the expression of my beliefs," said Valentine, whose lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and its Georgia chapter.
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Georgia, seeks unspecified punitive damages and attorneys' fees. It claims that the city "demonstrated reckless indifference" to Valentine's constitutional rights and forced her to violate a fundamental tenet of her faith.
So it comes as no surprise that Douglasville Mayor Mickey Thompson said he was caught off guard by the lawsuit.
"This one's a surprise, because I think we had worked with Ms. Valentine, and I thought her concerns were addressed," said Thompson, who declined further comment until the city's attorneys could review the complaint.
Mrs. Valentine: I understand you are exercising your right to religious freedom, but it is asinine and naïve to assume that you will be allowed to pass through security in a courtroom in the United States of America with your head covered.
Let me be extremely clear: The officers were wrong for arresting Valentine. Dead Wrong. The lack of sensitivity to her justified reticence in removing her hijab is intolerable and must be addressed; however, there is the little matter of security to consider. Let's say in some parallel universe this was acceptable. It would only be a matter of time before people begin wearing religious veils to sneak through security checkpoints.
That is not racism; it is reality.
There is clearly a religious disparity as it pertains to Islam and Christianity. While conservatives, contradictory to the Constitution, support policies based on their Christian beliefs, Muslims have been consistently marginalized and vilified.
This is why I stood with the Muslim community when it expressed concern that Muslim children were required to pray to a Christian god in school. I empathized with them when the Patriot Act unfairly profiled them after the tragedy of 9/11, and I protested the violence perpetuated against them in so-called "retaliation."
I also supported the building of the mosque in New York City, and dared anyone to explain to me how a country built on freedom of religion could even consider banning its construction.
But no one, regardless of race, gender or religion, should be allowed to enter a secured facility with his or her face covered.
That's just common sense.
The persecution in this country of our Islamic brothers and sisters has been shameful, but enforcing a regulation that all citizens in this country must adhere to is not something that should be compromised.
While I will continue to challenge the obvious bias toward Christianity in this country, I will not support the blatant mischaracterization of what defines religious intolerance for the sake of being politically correct.
This is America, Mrs. Valentine, and the separation of church and state applies to all religions.
Islam included.
Comments: (47)
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By: LATRINA FISTER on 12/18/2010 3:28PM
WOMAN PLEASE IF I HAVE TO TAKE MY HAT AND JACKET OFF BEFORE ENTERING THE COURT HOUSE AND AIRPORTS WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOUR EXCUSED YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT THE TERRORIST SO SUE THEM FOR PUTTING THE WORLD ON SUCH HIGH DEFENCE RELIGION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS YOU JUST NEED TO GET OVER WHAT THEE BROTHERS FROM OVERSEAS AFFLICTED ON THE WORLD .
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By: The Truth on 12/15/2010 1:37PM
It's all about Seperation of church and state.
Do what ever you want at home, but when you "decide" to "go public" where there's more than just your belief and opinions deal with it.
You want to fly, enter a court-room, etc...
Shut up and take off your hijab,
pretty much in that order.
You want to wear it in public?
Try moving to Iraq and see just how far your
"Violation of rights" allegations get you.
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By: Umm Sanaa on 12/15/2010 5:01AM
"...but it is asinine and naïve to assume that you will be allowed to pass through security in a courtroom in the United States of America with your head covered."
i am a muslim woman, born & raised in this country...i have been in & out of courtrooms in this country while wearing my hijab, my head fully covered...it is asinine & naïve to perpetuate the myth that all muslim woman who cover their hair & body have something to hide other than their physique...let's be real here: in my trips in & out of courtrooms, i have seen people dressed in a variety of fashions; and everyone does NOT wear skin tight clothing as to show they are not hiding an explosive or weapon...from baggy pants to loose dresses to turbans...and speaking of turbans (often worn by hindu men), have you seen them unwrapping their religious headdress & letting down their hair to satisfy curiosity, oh "security" measures?
separation of church & state is convenient when need be in this country - don't even get me started on the various christian based holidays we are bombarded with in schools -...but i will no sooner remove my hijab (to appease the created, men, while violating my commitment to our Creator & insulting my honor), than any of you would pull up your skirt, to satisfy prejudice & boorish minds...
and latrina fister, please educate yourself & find real proof that muslims were responsible for 9/11...osama bin laden is not even wanted for that crime on the fbi list...
it's unfortunate that folks can so loosely use the term terrorists to be synonymous with muslims...but wake up & ponder...let’s look at one abomination…in this country roughly 33% of girls & 14% of boys (with only 35% actually reported) are sexually molested...actual numbers, approximately 101 MILLION girls & 43 MILLION boys reported, not the real number...since terrorism is to afflict terror & fear, why isn't this being addressed on such a massive scale? why aren't these predators called terrorists & more federal funding to STOP these heinous crimes against people? just last week, a registered sex offender rape a 2 YEAR OLD BABY in a PUBLIC store! to say i'm annoyed with people still accusing muslims of being terrorists is an understatement...
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By: Kiakia Sterling on 12/15/2010 11:23AM
well not too many of the other beliefs blow people up in the name of their beliefs.
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By: Umm Sanaa on 12/15/2010 3:53PM
again, more ignorance...is blowing up things the only crime you become unglued about? islaam does not promote terrorism...it is not our qur'an or hadith that condones killing of innocent people regardless of religion...
you will have people from a variety of faiths doing things in the name of their belief...but people only point at islaam and muslims as terrorists...don't ignore all the atrocities committed against people because they're done by christians, or jews, or hindus, or atheists, etc...
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By: Justifyed on 12/16/2010 8:48AM
Umm Sanaa... I agree with you to a certain extent. When we as Americans see on tv and in news reports where Muslim women are being used more and more as 'suicide bombers' we have to do what is necessary to protect our public.
Now maybe, out of consideration for your religion and muslim lifestyle, they could have taken you into a room of female officers, unfortunately that did not happen.
Yrs ago, when my daughter had a sleepover, she had a muslim classmate who was invited. The young AND her mother explained to me that she was not to remove her Hijab in front of any man who was not her father. I made my husband aware and he was OK with it. She was considerate of us and, in turn we were considerate of her custom.
You do have to realize that America is still on edge and always will be. Not making any excuses for the behavior of some people, just trying to offer some insite.
There is an older Muslim woman who works in one of our retail stores, she wears her Hijab to work, I do not have a problem with it at all. Doesn't bother me in the least. Unfortunately, everyone is not going to feel the way I do.
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By: Umm Sanaa on 12/16/2010 3:39PM
in this country, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty...i am a citizen, born and raised in the u.s., so when this basic tenet is violated because of ignorance and prejudice, i am deeply annoyed...and when was the last time a muslim woman was used in a suicide bombing in our dear old country anyway?
african americans should be most sensitive to this issue...just the other day, fernando mateo, the head of ny taxi cab union blatantly told the drivers to racially profile against blacks and Hispanics and there was a huge outcry over that... and the incident where the white store owner in wisconsin put a sign on the door saying "no negros allowed" and folks just about lost it...
i am glad that you express some understanding about the importance of hijab...understand, however, this issue of trying to force a sister to remove hers was a violation of her religious freedom and i'm sure a nun, a hindu or any other person who wraps their head for religious duty would feel violated and object to...
we cannot use that logic of seeing reports by the media and subsequently discriminating against people to the point of violating their human rights...should all weave wearing women be required to remove their weave out of concern of them hiding something? while in courts or anyplace, should they mandate that no priest shall come within a certain proximity to children? or should angst filled teenagers, especially white males, be banned from attending public schools because they might shoot up the place? or if all black females, young and old, were forced to get an hiv test for public safety? or if all black men b/t the ages of 17-25 were thrown in jail, as a precauation of course, because of their known tendency for drugs & crime? It’s ridiculous upon ridiculous...but for some reason, it’s only justified when it comes to muslims...
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By: Justifyed on 12/16/2010 4:05PM
Just curious, because I have never seen your screen name on any other post, as it relates to the civil rights of African Americans...so is it safe to say that if this woman were not Muslim, it would not matter to you?
Why should "blacks" be sensitive? You can walk out of your house tomorrow w/ out your Hijab and NO ONE would know you were Muslin, I was born black, when I wake up, I'm black, when I go to sleep I'm black...so please don't compare your "struggle" to mine.
Before that horrible HORRIBLE tragedy 9/11, we (well, myself, anyway) never heard of injustices of Muslim Americans...as a matter of fact, some of you look down on "us".. so now that you have experience what I experience regularly....NOW it's a problem.
I don't wish any harm on anyone, people are just not that important to me unless they are my family...but times have changed and it that woman would have walked through security w/out being checked, and something did happen and their reason for not checking was that "it was a religious head dress and we didn't think it was necessary to have her remove it"....they would have been fired, and ALL Muslim women/kids wouldn't be able to wear the Hijab in gov't bldgs. You know that is true.
I am a military spouse, so when it comes to national security... I am all for it.
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By: Umm Sanaa on 12/16/2010 4:34PM
you didn't even address the questions i posed in my previous post...different groups of people have posed threats to our national security, but is it okay to generalize and discriminate against them as you seem to think it is for us? as a mother, are you not deeply bothered by the MILLIONS of children sexually assaulted (as i said in my first post) and calling this a threat to national security? were you upset about the head of the taxi cab discriminating? i could go on & on, but i recognize that your issue is with islaam & muslims, not necessarily with protecting u.s. constituents as a whole...
if you think because you have not seen my screen name on one website prior to this that i don't care about civil rights, you are showing how limited your perception is...
oh, and by the way, i am an african american woman with a degree in black studies who has lived the struggle of discrimination & prejudice long before i became muslim & donned the hijab...which is why i am appalled as to how quickly some african americans can throw others on the lynching tree when they're barely allowed to climbed down themselves...
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By: Justifyed on 12/16/2010 6:03PM
'Limited perception' huh.. I didn't say you didn't care about civil rights...but this is the only (to my knowledge) post where you seem overly sensitive.
From your initial post, I knew you were black woman who just happens to be muslim.
But this is my opinion, it will always be my opinion and you all of your degrees won't change my opinion.
When she was asked to remove the Hijab, why didn't she suggest that she be taken to another area?
If I am security, I am checking everything and everyone...mothers with strollers...clergy...nuns...even teddy bears, simply put, because that is my job.
This is our reality...like it or not, and it's going to get better before it gets worse.
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